Linspire's President and CEO, Kevin Carmony, announced a new free version of the company's Linux operating system at the Fourth Annual Desktop Linux Summit on Monday. “Freespire” differentiates itself by including a number of proprietary codecs, drivers, and applications in the distribution. It will be a Debian-based Linux distribution.

The free Linux operating system will be community-driven and community supported. Information regarding Freespire is available at www.freespire.org. A beta release of the operating system is expected to be available for download in August.

BRIAN'S OPINION
This is a good move for Linspire. Freespire will spur interest in the company's flagship Linspire operating system. Worse case scenario, Freespire will generate additional revenue for Linspire through the availability of optional enhanced support for the new Linux based operating system.

Another source of revenue from the Freespire operating system will come in the form of the optional CNR (click and run) service. Basic CNR service will cost US$20 per year, but the company is willing to offer the service for free to those who contribute to the Freespire project in some fashion. That's not a bad way to encourage community involvement in the company's new operating system.

I believe Linspire has been awfully quiet recently. It's nice to hear that the company has something new to talk about. I am always open to any new initiative that encourages further use of the Linux operating system.

USER COMMENTS 20 comment(s)

Linspire is good(10:01am EST Wed Apr 26 2006)I picked up Linspire from newegg for $20.00 and it ran fine on my old 2.4 P4. have yet to try it on my new rig but it would probably be better to get a newer release since it has been well over a year ago.I have lost interest in Linux since I bought my Powerbook. - by Regulas

huh(10:13am EST Wed Apr 26 2006)microsoft will sell vista and make tons of money. these linux companies will never be able to make money this way. sun also with solaris 10. sheesh could have charged atleat $20. if this lispire is free. why would anybody buy other versions of linspire? if everything becomes free, no more economy. - by bla

Re: bla(10:55am EST Wed Apr 26 2006)Hey, you idiot bla, for the umpteemth time, linux companies are making money, check companies such as Redhat, MontaVista, Timesys, and WindRiver.Since you live in a cave, even open source companies are being bought out, such as JBoss. Just recently, Oracle just bought Sleepycat open source database to add to its other purchase of another open source database company called Innobase.

Linspire sure got a lot of money from Microsoft for dropping the name “Lindows”. They had a good case of knocking Windows from continuing to be trademarked. Maybe Montavista should get some money from trademarking “Vista”.

To idiot like to insult me with his handle “nameless people suck”: You like to suck, chew and swallow pellets from wild rabbits - by “NamelessPS” a$$wipe

Best of both worlds(11:11am EST Wed Apr 26 2006)There has been some flack about keeping proprietary code out of Linux distros. Freespire is not a lockout of functionality due to idealistic purity. This offends many Stallmanist Open Saucers.

For the best functionality and user experience, there is a current need of merging the two camps, at least for now.

I do wonder how many instances of DeCSS and Franhaufer MP3 codecs I have inevitably paid for over the years? How many times must we pay the entry fee to ride when we own the amusement park?- by Zeke

Smart for Linspire(11:51am EST Wed Apr 26 2006)There is no way to compete against the government supported monopolies. That's why all versions of Linux are free. You have to wait for administration change and then hope they can break up the monopolies before fascists get control again. The fact that all the OEM install MS over FREE Linux proves that the OEM are paid and threatened by MS. But in the US, we'll let the President steal the vote twice, ruin the country to get rich, and sit by and do nothing. - by why did MS win?

Bla it's 2006 not 1999(12:03pm EST Wed Apr 26 2006)In 1999 your claim might have been considered valid. In 2006 you are just a fool for saying stuff like that. Linux is everywhere for computers to routers to automated light switches. People all over the world are using Linux to make money.

Everyone except you I guess.

- by Dinobot

re:”NamelessPS” a$$wipe(12:17pm EST Wed Apr 26 2006)well google makes money off their hardware blade search engines which isnt free and also get paid by advertisers to have their search tools incorporated with the google browser. Dont think google with no revenue comming in would make their stuff free for the public.

To many linux distros out there that would confuse the regular desktop joe. Better to have one unix or linux standard to compete against MS.

“””Linspire sure got a lot of money from Microsoft for dropping the name “Lindows”. They had a good case of knocking Windows from continuing to be trademarked. Maybe Montavista should get some money from trademarking “Vista”.“”””

oh ok, so this is how these linux companies are making there money not by their OS sales.

- by bla

huh(12:20pm EST Wed Apr 26 2006)well its not goanna last. - by bla

Re: bla(12:43pm EST Wed Apr 26 2006)“oh ok, so this is how these linux companies are making there money not by their OS sales.”

Another idiotic statement from the usual idiot. Linux companies such as Redhat, MontaVista, Timesys, and WindRiver make the bulk of their money from providing services.

To idiot who like to insult me with his handle “nameless people suck”: You like to suck the sweaty perspiration of your mother’s army boots. - by “NamelessPS” a$$wipe

Now you have gone to your usual stupid act of impersonating other people.

“well its not goanna last.”Yeah right, idiot.From today's Computerworld:“Linux continues to make highly visible inroads into IT infrastructure, with IDC reporting 14 consecutive quarters of double-digit growth in Linux server shipments.” These are PAID installation of Linux, there are probably much more that are uncounted.

Also other commercial vendors are also selling their commercial wares (not open source) to Linux.

Here is Linspire story today:Proof that desktop Linux market is growingWhen proprietary vendors start selling proprietary add-ons it is good for open source.You may need to repeat this to yourself a few times upon learning that FarStone Technologies will re-sell its RestoreIT disaster recovery package through LINSPIRE under the name RestoreIT Linux Edition.

“We see Linux as a tremendous opportunity.”

But FarStone is not an open source company. Not at all. “We’re not open source. We are bundling our application with the operating system of these Linux providers. This is a value add to their offering.”

Fedro said the desktop Linux market is forecast to grow to 17 million units in the next two years, with an installed base of 42 million.

And don't worry about the price. “The cost in a bundle is usually passed on to the consumer as a value-add. It doesn’t add to the product price.

To idiot who like to insult me with his handle “nameless people suck”, here is my insult back to you: You like to suck the big brown chunks from your Father's soiled underwear. - by “NamelessPS” a$$wipe

linspire(1:06am EST Thu Apr 27 2006)just what we need another debian off shoot, I am a hardcore linux user and don't think we need another distro. enough is enough. We need the various distro that are there now to get together and standardize thinks like file system layout etc. So companies who want to make linux software installers etc know where things are. - by Michael

NamelessPSa$$wipe a frekin genus (2:33am EST Thu Apr 27 2006)>Linspire sure got a lot of money from Microsoft for dropping the name “Lindows”. Maybe Montavista should get some money from trademarking “Vista”.>

By the way, all Linux kiddies can get your Hardware here:

- by NamelessPSa$$wipeFan

Re: Michael(9:10am EST Thu Apr 27 2006)Yeah right you are a hardcore linux user.I am suprised that you never mentioned about LSB. The Linux Standard Base, or LSB, is a joint project by several GNU/Linux distributions under the organizational structure of The Free Standards Group to standardize the internal structure of Linux-based operating systems.

To idiot who like to insult me with his handle “nameless people suck”, here is my insult back to you: You like to suck the hole between the buttocks of stray dogs.- by “NamelessPS” a$$wipe

re:”NamelessPS” a$$wipe(11:44am EST Thu Apr 27 2006)what other name???? only use bla. Your the idiot here. If you want your company to survive you better sell as much as you can including OS's. ppl who go for free linux wont see anything in other linux products out there that you have to pay for. this country has gone from product manufactoring which made money for this country to relying on IP's and services. - by bla

FOSS is about choice(2:07pm EST Thu Apr 27 2006)The more the merrier. Source Forge keeps on growing. I have a choice which OS I use or program for. If MS says, you don't get to program for our OS, I can program for another. MS will continue to spread hate, and FOSS allows us to move on while ignoring them. FOSS allows the 200,000 US programmers who were told, get another job, to keep doing what they love. - by tech

Re: bla(8:34pm EST Thu Apr 27 2006)You are always the idiot here. Why do you think your post always get erase? It is because you are the usual stupid idiot. They removed your stupid insults laced with profanity and your inane political statement. There are many examples of Linux OS manufacturers doing well selling services. I gave you examples over and over again. You have too much excrement in your head to listen to reality. But then again, you are always this stupid.

To idiot who like to insult me with his handle “nameless people suck”, here is my insult back to you: You like to suck on the big brown chunks that you find in the cat’s litter box.- by “NamelessPS” a$$wipe